Erosion Control Plants for Hillsides

By Karen Carter; Updated September 21, 2017

Erosion control is keeping the soil in place with plants. This helps to keep water clean and clear by reducing soil runoff. Annuals and grasses are used to establish immediate cover on hillsides. For long-term erosion control, use perennials, shrubs and trees. These types of plants take longer to establish but offer plants that need less maintenance.

Evergreen Huckleberry

Evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) is an evergreen fruit-bearing shrub. This bush reaches six feet in height in slightly acidic soil. This shrub grows a thick fibrous root system in the upper layers of the soil. Evergreen huckleberry prefers dry to moist conditions in full sun to full shade. This slow-growing bush tolerates salt spray.

Red Alder

Red alder (Alnus rubra) is a deciduous tree with a 40- to 50-year lifespan. This tree reaches more than 80 feet tall and spreads 40 feet wide. The roots grow deeply and extend a fibrous network that holds the soil in place. Red alder prefers moist soil and full sun exposure.

Salal

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) is an evergreen shrub growing only three feet tall and wide. This plant prefers dry to moist growing conditions in partial to full shade. This slow growing shrub uses underground roots to propagate new plants and form thick hedges. Salal tolerates flooding during the summer and survives salt spray.

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About the Author

Karen Carter spent three years as a technology specialist in the public school system and her writing has appeared in the "Willapa Harbor Herald" and the "Rogue College Byline." She has an Associate of Arts from Rogue Community College with a certificate in computer information systems.